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Simple Plastic Bag Holder

We recycle shopping plastic bags as rubbish bags. You know: this is where you put carrots' peels, oranges' rinds, coffee grains, etc., before throwing everything to the garbage can. Did you notice that plastic bags do not stand up by themselves? That's why I decided to build a bag holder. The first one was made with pipes, but after one year, my wife decided that it was not nice at all and that it fitted only one size of bags. So I built a new wooden one.

Step 1: Needs

I started with sawing 7 pieces of trunnions , 25 cm long:

2 large pieces (2.8 cm)5 thin pieces (0.9 cm)

Step 2: Drill the Holes

Then I drilled 3 holes in each large piece, the diameter of the holes being the diameter of the small pieces (0.9 cm in my case). Notice that the middle hole is perpendicular to the end holes. I drilled all through the pieces of trunnion. Be sure to make one and only one middle hole a little bit larger (with a file, for instance), because you will use it when adjusting the holder to the size of a bag.

Step 3: Insert Pieces

Then insert the 5 thin pieces that way. Use glue if necessary. I did not have to do it, but you might if your drilling is too large. Of course, do not glue the adjustment hole!

Step 4: And Voila!

This is what it looks like with a plastic bag on it: Adjust the size of the holder to the bag by sliding the horizontal piece. It was not too hard, was it?

Step 5: Compare

You can compare with the old one. The new one is more elegant, isn't it? ...and definitely more versatile .

The only part that might seem difficult is drilling through round pieces: they may start rolling if they are not well maintained in place. To avoid this, replace the big round trunnions by square section sticks as I show in the picture.

If you're going to make this thing, your design is nice . . . but I do have to throw out there that everything you appear to be throwing into these bags belongs in a reusable compost container. If composted, they'll turn into nutritious soil in your back yard. If sent to the dump, they'll be compacted and not have enough air to decompose efficiently. Just my 2 cents. . . Yey compost!

Hello Naomi! Sorry I forgot to answer. You are absolutely right: compost is the proper thing to do, ...except I live in an apartment and I just can't do it. But I will when I move to my countryside house when I retire (and it might be rather soon!). Yet I will keep this apartment for the winter season, and I will still use my bag holder.

Well, I'm very proud you guys found this hacking useful. I sent a message to IKEA, just in case they'd be interested (even for free), but they said they do not have any time to consider private proposals...

Shoot! I saw this a day late. We leave tomorrow, but will make it as soon as we get home. Perfect for a larger camping tent like we've got.
I've seen others, including your pvc pipe one but too big all packed. I'll make a small sock base for both ends, w/strap to contain all 7 pieces in less than 9 cm and poke in any old place with camp stuff. Way to go!

I really like the look of this!
And if you're worried about the ends of the dowels poking holes, or you just want to make it look a tad different, you can place wooden balls over the tops of the dowels.